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It’s always difficult to resist the urge to purchase a brand new iPhone or a snazzy watch, but there are many reasons why you should put that credit card away.

In addition to saving your money for a rainy day, spending large amounts of money on material goods is often deemed as unnecessary. Why you may ask? Well, there have been many experiments conducted that prove spending money on experiences instead of things result in more overall happiness.

Here are a couple of reasons why you should forget about the latest fashion or accessories and spend your hard-earned cash on travelling.

Why You Should Forget About Material Goods and Spend Your Cash on Travelling

It Makes You More Interesting

For those who often find themselves in conversations with new people making small talk, your travel adventures will give you plenty material to work with.

Shopping spree in Milan? Beach vacation in the Bahamas? Hiking Mount Kilimanjaro? Safari in Africa? Perhaps an Antarctica tour? People will always be more interested in your travels than the features of your latest iPhone.

It Gets Your Creative Juices Flowing

During your travels, you will meet and experience different cultures and traditions, meet people from all walks of life, and broaden your knowledge of the world. There are some things that even Google cannot teach you.

You’ll Satisfy Your Curiosity

Many of us have an insatiable curiosity to discover the world and all its entities, and travel is one way to do that. Not only do you learn about people and cultures, but you get to experience many of the most revered attractions and locations up close instead of just from the pages of a magazine or your computer screen.

You Will Become More Independent

Nothing makes you more self-aware or independent than travel does, especially doing it by yourself. There is nothing more thrilling and scary than venturing into parts unknown, and you will definitely end up learning a few things about yourself.

Learning about a different country or way of life will teach you patience and resilience, something that a new pair of shoes will not.

You’ll be Investing in Time

While it’s true that the money we work so hard for is precious, spending it on travel is the best way to reap the rewards. You will be investing in time spent with family, friends, loved ones or yourself, which is something you can never get back.

You Will Break Free From Your Comfort Zone

Travelling around the world has a way of helping people grow up or helping lost souls find themselves. Once you have travelled outside of your daily routine and comfort zone, it will become easier to relax, slow down and just enjoy life.

As the quote by Gustave Flaubert goes, “Travel makes you modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.”

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Megan is an Australian Journalist and award-winning travel writer who has been blogging since 2007. Her husband Mike is the American naturalist and wildlife photographer behind Waking Up Wild; a website dedicated to opening your eyes to the wild & natural world.

Committed to bringing you the best in adventure travel from all around the globe, there is no mountain too high, and no fete too extreme! They haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on their list.

Dam straight, I am exactly the same. cant be bothered to keep up with modern technology and all the must have mods and cons for the home. Most of my free money goes on traveling and dam straight I am getting more out of it than sitting at home watching boring television programmes on a 50 inch tv screen. :D

Am such a big believer in this, Megan. I almost buy nothing other than travel and absolute necessities. Frankly, I’d love to sell much of what I don’t need and de-clutter even further. Thanks for the post!

I sometimes feel people judge me for the lifestyle I chose, I mean, they measure things in money and all that but I measure things by experiences. I love what I do and thanks for reminding me that it’s okay.

A large chunk of society definitely measures success and happiness by money, and it can be hard to stay true to your own convictions when you’re surrounded by people with different priorities. But there is a huge community of people who think just like you!

Love this :D – After my first year of traveling 6 years ago, I returned home and sol everything material that I owned so I could carry on funding my travels. For the last 6 years I can truly say spending money on traveling for me is so much more worth it than buying material things. A lot of people don’t get that, they see having material things as a statement of richness but to me nothing can be more en-riching than traveling and exploring this world.

Thanks Amit! I think you have awesome priorities! In the end it’s the memories you’ll cherish over the fact that at one point in your life you owned the latest iPhone. Completely agree that nothing is more enriching than travel :)

I totally agree with this, and I also preach the same to my friends and families. At the end of the day, it’s the experiences and adventures which bring a smile and those happy memories, not some materialistic goods.

Those reasons are definitely true. Experienced them all and more. All can be considered as priceless rewards of traveling. But I find nowadays that since I’m not getting younger, I need to balance the amount I spend on travel and the amount I invest.

Nothing wrong with finding a balance in your life – we’re now aiming for the same thing. Decluttering as much as possible to save for incredible trips, but we’ve finally purchased a house and picked a permanent base :)

These are the exact same reasons that I don’t splurge on a lot of new things. People often think I’ve just a trust fund or something, but that’s not the case. I just resist when new things come out, cook for myself a lot and stay on a tight budget. I’m very lucky that I had the means to start out with limited school debt. I think the biggest thing that travel has given me is one you said – it gets your creative juices going. I’m always so inspired post-trip!

I used to be one of those girls who were so obsessed with name brand bags, shoes and accessories. After I started traveling, I could care less about those stuff and have been investing on future travel ever since. I agree with the things you said here. Traveling is so rewarding!

It will make you more interesting made me giggle a bit. I agree 100% but I find that friends from home that DON’T travel get sick of hearing my stories! It always great to meet a fellow traveler who doesn’t think I’m being obnoxious when I talk about my adventures abroad- I always want to share!

Haha that’s true – I also find that my travel stories are stored for when I meet a fellow adventurer, it’s really fantastic to connect with someone who has the same interests, and as you said, doesn’t think you’re being obnoxious when you want to share!

Always a fine balance with family and friends when you get home between telling them about your trip and not annoying them too much because they didn’t get to go lol!

I couldn’t agree more although the new iphones are always tempting! I would much rather spend my time and money on experiences and memories rather than things. I believe in the studies you mentioned to be true.

Haha would you believe, I’ve actually managed to escape the iPhone trend completely :D Though I do shoot looks of envy at travelers who whip out their iPhone camera – the camera on my old school Samsung is pretty shit lol!

But when it comes down to it I’m with you – I would rather spend my time and money on experiences rather than things :)